“Trevard Lindley got an opportunity Friday night, and he took advantage of it.

In a preseason game in which the Eagles‘ starters played for three quarters, Lindley, a fourth-round draft pick out of Kentucky who has played a reserve role at cornerback, played two series with the first team. On one, he had an interception to stop a Kansas City drive that had just crossed the 50-yard line.

If Lindley and Dimitri Patterson, another cornerback who had a strong preseason, can carry their play into the regular season, they could solidify the depth at a position that was considered one of the Eagles‘ biggest liabilities heading into training camp.

Their performances have threatened the standing of Macho Harris, who has played sparingly in camp and the preseason. On Sunday, Harris was practicing at safety, where he played last year. He had been at cornerback since April’s draft but appears to have fallen out of the competition there.

When Lindley got into the 20-17 win over the Chiefs, he played at left cornerback, in place of Ellis Hobbs.

“I saw a guy that can compete at this level,” Hobbs said. “It’s all about testing yourself in this game and continually moving up.”

There is no question about the starting job: Head coach Andy Reid stressed that it still belongs to Hobbs.

Lindley, though, appears to be rising. Listed third on the depth chart before the game in Kansas City, he took snaps with the second team in Sunday’s practice. Harris had been listed as Hobbs’ backup before the game.

Although Lindley had some success working against the Eagles‘ third- and fourth-team receivers in training camp, Reid said he wanted to see the rookie corner against some better competition, so he gave him a chance against the Chiefs’ starters.

“I wanted to get him in with the ones and just get some experience, really, against their ones,” Reid said after the game. “It looked like he did a pretty decent job.”

Lindley’s biggest play came with the Chiefs on the Eagles’ 46-yard line. He dropped into coverage on Chris Chambers, and when a Matt Cassel pass went off the fingers of tight end Tony Moeaki, the corner and receiver each had a shot at the ball.

“Me and the receiver both hit the ball, and it just popped right up,” Lindley said. He stayed with it to make the interception.”